Virumandi (விருமாண்டி)

Ready.

I am V.R. Krishna lyer, that's my name.

I was a lawyer, later a Minister,

after that I was a Judge. Now I am 88 years old.

Based on my experience,

I strongly support abolishing the capital punishment.

This is not my personal view.

From time immemorial it has been a part of our tradition.

Gandhi also used to say,

God has given this life,

only God has the right to take it.

Neither court nor the state has any right on it.

Kindly note that death penalty is another kind of,

judicially sanctioned murder.

Thank you.

My name is Munuswamy.

I have hanged 46 people till date. - Do you feel guilty?

What?

Do you feel guilty of taking so many lives?

Initially I had guilty feeling,

but now it has become my profession.

I don't that feeling now.

This is special Manila rope noose.

Every time we change this.

As the face is covered by a black mask.

Protruding of the tongue & popping out of the eyes are not seen.

There is no need for the witnesses to see them.

Marappan.- Death penalty.

I was a head master of a school for 30 years.

One day some boys came & told me that few boys were creating trouble.

When I went to check, I learnt that the trouble maker was correspondent's son.

I warned him to stop, but he didn't.

I beat him and he fell down dead.

I'm not obsessed of that sin.

God has destined me to do that.

Regretting the incident I went home to commit suicide.

My wife said, "A teacher mustn't set a bad precedent”.

So, I went to the police station and surrendered.

Later, they made me go from pillar to post in courts,

Now, I am in the death row.

A mercy petition was filed, but I don't know what happened to it.

I am now hanging, without a noose, between life & death.

On the whole we arrange a decent death for criminals.

I don't know what is decent about this death.

If this is judgement and this is justice,

I would hang myself.

My name is Angela Kathamuthu.

I am now in central prison.

I am involved in a research about the validity of capital punishment.

We are abiding by the law,

not in the interest of this society,

but more out of fear of the punishment, that is true.

To protect society & law,

there is an opinion which says punishment in necessary.

There is another opinion which says law has too many loop holes.

Like men, law too has committed many mistakes.

There are many evidences in the history.

Many times law has magnanimously re-written it's judgements.

But there's one judgement which even the law can't re-write.

That is death penalty.

Go inside.

My name is Peikaman.

I took examination in 2000 and came here as Sub-jailer on promotion.

What's the problem, man? - There's no screw in the door.

One minute.

Come with me man. - I think today our given time is over.

We've got permission tomorrow also. We'll come & take interviews.

We've come here with permission.

No problem...is camera running. Switch it on quickly.

I'll finish it before he comes back.

Narayanan, death penalty.

Anyway I am going to die, I will tell you everything before that.

Too many irregularities are happening in this jail.

Atrocities of Peikaman are unbearable.

Everything bad is happening here.

Cell phones, drugs are going around the jail.

Jailer is a good man, but this Peikaman is...

Any problem?

Did he say anything?

Prisoners in death row are very moody people.

They'll laugh, cry and whatever they say are lies.

You could've asked me.

Mr.Cameraman.- Sir.

You have left your lens cap here.

Thank you.

Will they telecast it bravely? They'll not develop cold feet, will they?

Why? Definitely not.

We must be afraid only if they are Government servants.

Tomorrow, I will come prepared with 4 or 5 extra tapes.

What if a few more Narayanan's talk to you.

Girish, you also deserve to be in a jail.- Of course.

Do you know I was very nervous.

Madam, you've done doctorate only in civil law.

I've done doctorate in cheating. Watch me tomorrow.

Shall we add this shot or...?

Keep it inside as important. Let's think about it later.

No need to invite trouble now.

Let's see what is in this jeep.

I am not able to recognize who is in there.

Move...move.

Move away.

Bloody rascal! What do you think of yourself? I will wipe all of you.

Shut up. Don't shout.

Inform Angela has come to meet the Jailer.

They have come to meet the Jailer.

I want to clean up the whole mess during my tenure here.

For that I want... - Sir, that lady interviewer...

Ask her to come in.

Giving a ready made explanation for everything.

Hello, good morning.

Morning, madam. Please take your seat.

Any how it's not a good morning for me, it's very bad.

Why?

Prisoners are fasting inside and outside trouble & commotion.

Brother, please don't take out. - Okay.- Leave it.

Any small issue is enough for them ...this time it's a death.

Our heads will roll if anyone dies in our custody.

Okay, forget about it.

You will complete your interviews today, won't you?

Please finish them. Don't take them at in yesterday's place.

It's very sensitive.

I have allotted this block. It will be convenient for you.

Try to finish it today so that it will be...

Yes, just 2-3 interviews are pending.- Okay.

We left an interview half way yesterday. We've to continue it.

Okay. Who was he?

Was it teacher Marappa Gounder? - No...no...

I think he was Narayanan.

Death sentence prisoner?- Yeah.

Any problem?- Nothing.

Please wait outside.

This place is in chaos.

We need help from committed people like you.

Okay.

You can't interview Narayanan. - Why?

He fell ill yesterday and died on the way to the hospital.

Don't kill the prisoners...

Prisoners here are suspicious about his death.

You can hear them, can't you?

Sir, his relatives have come to claim the body.

Wait, I will come after few minutes.

Narayanan was more dangerous compared to other rowdies.

One minute.

A lady is coming, isn't it? Open the main gate.

You come in madam.

For a rowdy's death,

They are resorting to fasting as if he was a Mahatma.

Jailer is a good man.

That isn't enough here. You need an iron fist.

IPS Officers will never have it.

Only officers like me who come from the cadre, have it.

Or else...they will resort to fasting like this.

Sir, I didn't commit anything wrong. - Wait, I will come.

You come madam.

I think you are upset because you are unable to interview Narayanan.

Oh no.

Don't worry, there is another more interesting case than him.

The people we are going to meet now,

both of them together have massacred 24 people in Theni District.

They then tried to kill each other. Now both of them are in jail.

One is going to gallows. One is serving a life term.

You would have heard about Virumaandi case.

I had investigated that case.

We are now going to meet second accused, Virumaandi's sworn enemy.

Kothaala Thevar.

C.K...Chinnakolarpatti, Theni District.

Life.

...Life term.

Tell me further.

Direct descendants of Sundara Pandi Thevar who ruled before Thirumalai Naicker,

No, talk in your normal way. I don't want your old history.

Don't you?- No.

Tell me your opinion about death penalty.

Death penalty is a must.

I don't mind 10 innocents like me dying,

but, blood thirsty criminals shouldn't have a free run in the country.

But law insists that let 10 criminals escape

but not one innocent should be punished.

That is why we respect natural justice and fate more than law.

According to justice, if he should die, that's his fate.

That is what law also says.

What do you understand from this?

There is God.

Who the law is insisting to die? - That man!

That's the point, who is he?

Virumaandi.

Did you see? It's difficult even to utter his name.

Appearances are deceptive.

I may appear like a villain, but actually he is the real villain.

He instigated people of 2 villages to fight & die.

Which 2 villages?

C.K.Patti...Chinnakolarpatti and Nallama Naickenur.

Beautiful villages.

It was “Jallikattu'(Taming of bull) in Nallama Naickenur that year.

Nallama Naicker had killed my father. He spent 4 years in jail for that.

Everyone in this village knows it.

We don't have cordial relationship.

Despite this, in the interest of the village, forgetting the past,

I make it a point to attend such public functions,

like a peace loving dove.